Grinding machine



" 01.16,193'4. O. DOUTT 1,977,049

GRINDING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 16, 1934. o. DoUTT GRINDING MACHINE 9 sheets-sheet 2 Filed June l5, 1928 Oct. 16, 1934. o. DOUTT G-RINDING MACHINE Filed June 15, 192s 9 sheets-sheet s glu/pento@ Oct. 16, 1934. o, DOUTT GRINDING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June l5, 1928 Oct. 16, 1934. I 0, DOUTT 1,977,049

y G-RINDING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1928 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Oct. 16, 1934.

GRINDING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1 928 (j mgm 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Oct. 16, 1934. o. DoUTT GRINDING MACHINE 9 sheets-sheet 9 Filed June 13, 1928 Patented Oct. 16, 1934 irs rs WCE Application June 13, 1928, Serial No. 284,929

11 Claims'.

This invention relates to grinding, vpolishing or buing machines and more particularly to the attachments to be used-in feeding the articles to the abrasive or bufng element. In using the term grinding it is also intended to include the operations of and the machines used for polishing or bufling, and in the following description and claims the term grinding will be used to cover any of these or similar operations or machines.

i The articles to be ground or polished will be referred to as bars but it is not intended to thereby restrict the claims merely to use in operating upon such articles since it will be apparent that the invention is equally applicable to use in conl5lnection with other articles.

An object of the invention is to provide resilient means for holding the bars as they pass un der the grinding wheels. A further object is to provide such an arrangement of the supporting ZOLmeans as to contact consecutive bars or portions of bars at different points throughoutthe widthl A further object is tof of the grinding elements. provide means for supplying articles to the grinding elements across an unyielding surface and to avoid overheating the bars Where sections of the bars of increased or uneven thickness` come in contact with the grinding element.

a feed mechanism supplying the barsftoV the grinding element through a translatoryinovement, bars having curved surfaces. f

Further and more or less limited objects-will be apparent from the following description, from the drawings, and from the use of the articles cov- .ered by the appended claims'.

In the :following description of some illustra tive embodiments of my invention reference will be made to the drawings in which Fig. 1 represents a diagrammatic front elevation of a grind-V.

ing or polishing machine to whichmyinvention may be applied; Fig. 2 represents a more detailed front elevation of a portion of the feeding device used in the machine shown in Fig.` 1; Fig. 3 rep-A resents a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 2.V

Fig. 9 with the bars shown in dotted lines; Figs@` vl1 and 12 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3 show- A further object is vto provide means for supporting, uponA (ci. .s1-7,6)

ing'a further modified form of my invention; Fig'.` 13 is a detailed end elevation of the upper portion of 'one ofthe bar supports as viewed from the left; Figs. 14 and 15 are views similar to Figs. 2 fand 3 showing a'modified form of my invention ;Fig'. 1G is an enlarged section taken on line 16-16 of Fig. 14; Figs. 17 and 18 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3 showing my invention in the modied form; Figs. 19 and 20 are front and plan views respectively showing afurther application of the invention; Fig. 21 isv an enlarged section taken on the longitudinal centerline through one of the bar supports shown in Fig. 19; Figs. 22 and 23 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3 showing a still further application of my invention; and Fig. 24 is a "sectionalview' taken on line` 24-24 of Fig. 22; y Y

VOf the reference characters used inthe draw-'- ings 1 denotes a .continuous flexible beltrotated upon pulleys 2, Zand passing overa series of roll-A ers 3; 3, for the purpose of feeding the bars 5 to and "under a'series' ofrot'ating grinding Vwheels 4, 4, which may be graduated in their abrasive acti'o'nto effectively smooth and polish the surfa'cesof theV b'ars'as theyv progressfrom one end of themachineto the other. The hood 6 serves to conduct the dust from the apparatus. My invention' relates primarily to attachments to be used'with amachine of this type but may be usedv upon one differing materially in' its construction and operation so a more. detailedV description of thedeta'ils of construction of the grinding mechanismand `mechanism for progressing the feed belt'will be omitted. l Referring to the detailed drawings showing my improved means for attaching the bars to the moving belt I1V, the numerals 7, 7 represent a pair ofstationary guard or guide rails, one at each side' of thejbars, Which are provided to facilitate the' application of the bars to the moving belt and to" assure contact of the bars with the grinding surfaces as they pass "thereunder, The bars shown in the supporting devices in Figs. 1 to 10 are of resilient `material andhave'downwardly curved endportions with eyes 8, 8 at their extremities'. Each eye 8 rests upon a metal plate Qwhiclfiv is supported 'at' each side upon blocks 10, 10 fastened to a plate`V 11 which is in turn fastened-to the belt 1. One end of each bar 5 is free to move in both directions along such a plate 9 while the other endfis restricted in its movement in one direction by the serpentine spring lz'nxed atits inner end to the plate 11 and braced by a suitable angle iron 11a. {The spring lnietalrests 13, 13, riveted or otherwise ers shown in the preceding drawings.

fastened to the belt at their lower ends, are supplied to reinforce the central portion of each of the bars 5, 5.

In describing the grinding or polishing machine with my new attachments the grinding Wheels will be considered as rotating in a counter-clockwise direction and the belt 1 as moving so that the bars will be moved from right to left under the grinding wheels. I prefer to use an abrasive wheel having a relatively coarse abrasive surface as the first wheel to be encountered by the bars and to have the successive grinding wheels of gradually decreasing abrasive qualities to provide a suitably smooth polished surface 0n each bar as it leaves the last Wheel. The grinding wheel should be lowered until the desired pressure will be exerted upon the bar as it passes thereunder. As the wheel comes in contact with the curved forward end of the bars 5, 5, each bar will be independently depressed against its inherent resilient resistance and against the resistance of the rests 13, 13. The forward end of each bar 5 is held in position by the spring 12 and since the bars will be somewhat flattened by the pressure of the grinding wheel the rear end of the bar will slide along the plate 9 upon which it rests. As the bar passes from under the last wheel 4, it Will resume its normal position. The serpentine spring 12 could be replaced by a solid stop such as the angle iron 11a, but I prefer to use the means shown since it will gradually take up the impact of the bars With the grinding wheels and will prevent injury to the apparatus if the pressure on the bars becomes too great.

It is apparent that the stop 11a and the springs 12, 12 could be placed at the other end of the bar if it were advisable to rotate the grinding wheels in a clockwise direction as the bars moved from right to left thereunder. It is also apparent that they might be used at each end in which event the several Wheels could be rotated in either direction.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the bars in two consecutive groups are parallel to each other and to the belt but are staggered on the belt. The guides 15, 15 confine the bars in one group to one side of the belt while the guides 16, 16 confine the adjacent groups of bars may, of course, be graduated to utilize the sur-Y face of the wheels to the best advantage.

A similar result is accomplished in the modification shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 by fastening a single guide 17 to the belt opposite the forward and rear ends of two consecutive groups of bumpers and by fastening a similar single guide 18 to the belt upon the opposite side of each group at its other end. In this manner each group of bars is inclined to the direction of movement of the belt and consecutive groups are inclined in opposite directions. In each of the modications shown in Figs. 5 to 10, the reinforcing springs 13, 13 may be added if such reinforcement is desirable.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 11 to 18, the bars to be operated upon do not have eyes at their ends and do not have as great depth of curvature aty the end portions as in the bump- In order to resiliently hold the end portions of these bars 5, 5a, the plates 19, 19 are resiliently supported by means of the spring metal supports 20, 20 which are fastened to the belt at their lower ends. Each of the plates 19 has a recessed portion 21 to receive an end of one of the bars and a recessed portion 22 offset from the portion 21 to receive an end of a consecutive bar. The consecutive bars will thereby be held so as to contact with the grinding Wheels at different points S5 throughout their widths. One or more of the plates 19 at each end of a group of bars may have a corner cut out as at 19a in order to allow longitudinal movement of one plate 19 in relation to the adjacent plate 19. By this means variations in the curvatures or thicknesses of the individual bars in each group may be accommodated without variations in the pressure between each such bar and the abrasive wheels. It is apparent that the two plates 19, 19 at one end of a group of bars could be replaced by a single plate if such construction were found more suitable in the particular application.

In the modication shown in Figs. 14 to 16 the ends of the bars are supported on plates 23 which are resiliently supported by spring steel rests 20 in a manner similar to that used in supporting the plates 19 of Fig. 11. Each plate 23 has a raised edge 24 and a curved partition 25 in its middle portion. When two of these plates are supported side by side With their depressed portions toward each other the raised edges and the partitions form recessed portions adapted to receive and confine the ends of two bars. The recesses for the bars are slightly wider than the bars so that the consecutive plates may be placed on the belt in staggered relation and so support the bars in a zigzag path along the belt. If more suitable to the particular use to which the invention is being applied the bars may, of course, be arranged to follow each other in a path parallel to the edge of the belt. In either of the modifications shown in Figs. 11 to 16 the pressure of the grinding wheels 4 will cause the bars to depress as they pass under them and, if the bars are resilient 120 enough, will cause them to flatten and lengthen, which movement will be compensated for by the depression and longitudinal movement of the resiliently supported plates.

In the form shown in Figs. 17 and 18 the ends 125 and the central portions of the bars are supported by plates 26, 26 resiliently supported from the belt. Each plate 26 has a stop 27, adapted to receive and confine the end of the bar, and' such plate is supported upon an inverted cylindrical 130 cap 28 adapted to receive, in telescopic engagement, a Well 29 supported from the belt by angle irons 30, 30. A coil spring 31 seated within the well and the cap 32 provide a resilient support for the plate 26, The intermediate portions of the bars are reinforced by similar resilient supports made up of a cup-shaped cap 32, adapted to receive a well 33 supported by angle irons 34, and a coil spring 35 within the partially telescoped cap and well. The bolts 36 and 3'7, fastened to the caps 28 and 32, respectively, and the nuts thereon retain the caps in position when the pressure upon the bars is removed and regulate the initial compression of the springs. With M this form o-f resilient support the bar will be deo pressed against the spring action of the end and reinforcing supports as it comes in contact with the grinding Wheels. The bars are here shown in 1in@ but it is apparent that they may be stag- 15G gered or at an `angle to the belt if such arrangement is desirable.

The resilient supports .shown in Figs.l 1,9` to .2l illustrate an additional modification-of my invention. The bars 5b `are. curved bars hav-ing eyes at their `end-s. These hars Vare supportedby blocks 3 7, :37, yeach having a recess 38 1adapted to receive the eye of a bar 5'? and having :a flange 39 on one side adapted to bear .upon the outer `edge of the adjacentbar. Each bloc-k 357 is resiliently supported by means .of a spring l40,;so shaped as to provide resilient resistance to movement toward orvalong the Lbelt. The springs -40 are so `arranged in relation to the lengths of the bars 5 thatvthey are lunder longitudinal compression when the bars are supported; thereby.. .Bythis means the bars are held securely in position as they progress under the grinding Wheels. Any flattening or lengthening of the bars will be taken `care of by the expansion of the vertical loops of thesprings 40 and any movement toward .the belt, Will be resisted vby compressionof .the horizontal loops at the outer endsof said springs. The modified form of my invention shown fin Figs. 22 to 424 is adapted to resiliently support bars `5c having downwardly curved end portions with eyes lat their ends. The rear end of one bar `and the forward end -of the succeeding bar arevsupported upon a spring metal support 41 having a loop at its forward-end and having the lower portion of ,said looped `end ,fastenedto a platen-42. 'Ihe plate 42 isfastened to the 4belt l and braced atits rear lend by an angle iron,'also.

fastened to the belt. The rear end portion of the-spring 41 is provided With a iiattenedY portion forming an extended bearing surface for the rea-r end of a bar 5c and has its end turned up to receive the eye at the forward end of the succeeding bar. 'I'he middle portion of each 'j bar 5c is reinforced by spring loops 43, 43, Which are supported upon plates 44, 44 fastened tothe belt 1. A thin metal reinforcing plate 45 is preferably fastened to the upper surface of the belt l.

In the last described modification the forward j end of each of the bars 5c is resiliently retained by the upturned end of a spring 41 and as the bar elongates under the pressure of the grinding Wheels the rear end of said bar will slide along the flattened portion of the next spring 41. The adjacent bars are shown as separately mounted, so as to allow for variations in the curvature or thiclmess of such bars, but they may be mounted on a single broad spring if such arrangement is desirable.

The guard rails have been omitted from some of the drawings but it is apparent that they may be used with any of these modifications if found desirable or necessary. It is also apparent that the successive bars may be offset in any of the modications shown or they may be inclined to the direction of movement of the belt if such arrangement is more suitable in the particular application. It is further apparent that one bar or more than one bar may be grouped upon one section of the belt, suitable adjustment being Ymade in the plates used for holding the ends of the bars.

By the use of my invention with a belt adapted to pass over a series of rollers providing an unyielding surface, the resilient supporting devices will maintain a substantially constant pressure of the bars against the surface of the grinding, polishing or buing wheels, regardless of slight variations in the curvature or thickness of the bars or of unevennesses therein, and will so avoid the overheating or irregular heating of the bars at` points of contacts with the Wheels which would result in unevenness in the temper of the bar throughout its length. yVariations may `be made in the pressure exerted against the grinding wheels by raising or lowering the wheels or by varying the resistance of the support members.

, In describing my invention, it has beenA indicated that the grinding. wheels Were to rotate in a counter clockwise direction and the bars to move from righ-t to left .under .said wheels. .It `is apparent that the supporting devicesshowncould bceasily adapted for use with a machine in which the grinding wheels or part of them were rotat-y ing in the opposite directions.

vSeveral ,modifications of my inventionl have been described in order to pointrout some `of the many uses to which it may be applied. It is not intended however to thereby limit the .scope o f my invention to the specific embodiments herein shown-and described, -it being apparent that many variations ymay vbe rmade in the application -of `the invention to different uses. y l Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a grinding element and a Work feeder adapted to translate bars across the vsurface of .said grinding element, .of means for progressing said bars with said feeder.,l

said means comprising bearing plates connected.

tosaid feeder and adapted .to receive. the .ends of said bars .so arranged as to .contact with the grinding element at different positions #through-` out :its width, and resilient 4means ,for resisting longitudinal movement of said bars on said feeder. 1

2. In a grinding machine the combination with a translatory work feeder moving across a nonyieldable bed and adapted to carry resilient bars across the surface of a grinding element, of means for progressing said bars with said feeder, said means comprising plates connected with said feeder and adapted to receive the ends of the bars, and resilient means for yieldably resisting longitudinal movement of said bars relative 'to said feeder.

3. In a grinding machine the combination with a work feeder adapted to feed resilient curved bars to the grinding element, of bearing plates fixed to the feeder and adaptd to receive the ends of a bar, resilient means in contact with one end of said bar for resisting longitudinal movement relative to said feeder, said means comprising a spring fastened at one end to the feeder and adapted at its other end to bear upon the end of the bar.

4. In a grinding machine the combination with a Work feeder adapted to feed resilient curved bars to the grinding element, of bearing plates fixed to the feeder and adapted to receive the ends of a bar, resilient means in contact with one end of said bar for resisting longitudinal movement relative to said feeder, said means comprising a spring fastened at one end to the feeder and adapted at its other end to bear upon the end of the bar, and guide rails parallel to the direction of movement of said feeder.

5. In a grinding machine the combination with a Work feeder adapted to feed resilient curved bars to the grinding element, of bearing plates xed to the feeder and adapted to receive the ends of a bar, resilient means in contact with one end of said bar for resisting longitudinal movement relative to said feeder, said means ias comprising a spring fastened at one end to the feeder and adapted at its other end to bear upon the end of the bar, resilient means for reinforcing the intermediate portions of said bars and guide rails substantially parallel to the direction of movement of said feeder.

6. The combination with a grinding. machine having a series of grinding wheels and a belt adapted to progress Work across said Wheels, said wheels operating at a fixed distance from said belt, of resilient means for supporting said Work upon said belt, said means comprising resiliently supported plates adapted to receive the end portions of the work, and resilient rests intermediate the ends of said work for reinforcing intermediate portions of the Work.

7. In a grinding machine, the combination with a grinding element and a feeder adapted to translate bars across said grinding element, of supports for the ends of said bars comprising plates resiliently supported from said feeder, said plates including means for supporting the bars in disalignment to cause consecutive bars to contact with said grinding element at diiferent points throughout the Width of said grinding element.

8. In a grinding machine, the combination with a feed belt adapted to progress bars across and in contact with a series of rotating grinding elements, of non-yielding supports adapted to support said belt as it passes under said grinding element, and resilient means for supporting said bars upon said belt, said means comprising resiliently supported members adapted to receive an end of a bar near the outside edge of a grinding element, and resiliently supported members adapted to receive an end of a bar near the opposite edge of said grinding element.

9. In a grinding machine, the combination with a feed belt adapted to progress bars across and in contact with a series of rotating grinding elements, of rollers adapted to support said feed belt as it passes under said grinding elements, resilient means for supporting said bars upon said belt, and means comprising springs adapted to receive and retain the front ends of said bars, and spring means adapted to provide an extended bearing surface for the rear ends of said bars.

10. In a grinding machine the combination with a feed belt adapted to progress bars across and in contact with a series of rotating grinding Wheels, of a series of closely spaced rollers adapted to support said feed belt as it passes under said grinding elements, and resilient means for supporting said bars upon said belt, said means comprising separate recurved springs each adapted to provide an extended bearing surface for the rear end of one of said bars, said springs each being also adapted to receive and retain the front end of a bar following said last mentioned bar, and` recurved springs adapted to bear upon and reinforce the intermediate portions of said bars.

11. In a grinding machine including a grinding element and a feeder adapted to translate bars to be ground, means for supporting the bars for movement longitudinally with the feeder, said means including a plurality of staggered members for supporting consecutive bars in staggered relation with one another, whereby said bars will contact With the grinding element at different points throughout the Width of the grinding element.

OWEN DOUTT. 

